Machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather



0. BOETTGER Oct. 24, 1939.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON HIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER Filed March 21,1938 Patented Oct. 2 4, 1933 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPONHIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER Oskar Boettger, Frankfort-on-the-Main,

Ger-

many, assignor to The Turner Tanning'Machinery Company, Peabody, Mass, acorporation of Maine Applicationv March 21, 1938, Serial No. 197,125 InGermany April 5, 1937 I 13 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon hides, skins andleather. While the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine forsplitting hides, whether tanned or untanned, i'rit is to be understoodthat the invention and various important features thereof may have otherapplications and uses.

As heretofore constructed, splitting machines,

particularly those of the belt knife type, have lOfizcommonly providedfor adjustment of a gauge roll with respect to the knife or cutter bymeans of spindles which carry the gauge roll support and which are screwthreaded into the side frames of the machine so as to be adjustable15,7;to effect every desired adjustment of the gauge roll with respectto the knife or cutter. A disadvantage of this arrangement is found inthe fact that the necessarily frequent rotary movements of the spindlesproduce a premature wear 20. ,of these parts which are so essential toaccurate operation. of the machine. Furthermore, with sucha'construction the operator must exercise.

tion of the roll supporting spindles, in makingv the desired adjustmentswhile splitting a given 30,; batch of work pieces. It is a furtherobject to provide a construction by which the desired adjustment of agauge roll at a certain point in the,

treatment of a work piecemay be greatly facilitated.

; It is an important feature of the invention that the gauge whichpositions the work piece for treatment by the tool is adjusted through acam surface arranged helically about the axis of the gauge carryingmember and rotatable a prede- 40,:-termined extent alternatively inopposite directions on said member to provide diiferent positions of thegauge with respect to the tool. It is an advantage of this constructionthat the regular adjustment of the gauge for each work ;;,piece in agiven batch ;of Work will be secured through cam means having apredetermined movement in opposite directions thus facilitatingqthe workof the operator, while adjustment rendered necessary by a substantialchange in 3 the class of work being operated upon will be' taken care ofby adjustment of the member which supports the helical cam surface.

In the illustrated construction, a gauge roll to position a work piecewith respect to a cutter is ;carried -by a head whichis in'turnsupported at each end by screwthreaded spindles adjustable in the sideframes of the machine. To effect adjustment of the gauge roll for eachwork piece in a given batch of work, manually operable cam means ismounted on each spindle, while adjustment of said spindles is dependedupon to secure variations in the position of the gauge roll to suitdifferent batches of work. It follows that adjustment of the spindleswill be relatively infrequent, thus minimizing wear of the threadedparts, and that the usual adjustment during the treatment of each workpiece is markedly facilitated through the cam means provided for thatpurpose.

With these and other objects and features in view, the invention willnow be described in detail in the specification and then pointed outmore particularly inthe appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig, 1 shows in perspective end view the principal parts of a splittingmachine with the device: for lifting the head or bridge;

Figs. 2 and 3 each show a cross-section of the head lifting deviceviewed from the front side, Fig. 2 showing the gauge roller in thelowered position and Fig. 3 in the raised position; and

Fig. 4 isa perspective representation of important parts of the, noveldevice.

In the illustrated machine, which is specially designed for thesplitting of hides and skins, the skin to be split is fed against a bandknife a (Fig. 1). through, the narrow space intermediate a gauge roll (1and an articulated roller 0, the latter being'yieldingly supported on arubber roller 1).. The gauge roll at is supported in a head e of thebridgetype. The latter is adjustable in vertical guides at the two sideposts 1 of the machine frame, to a higher or lower position according tothe thickness desired in the upper or grain split of the hide, it beingunderstood that the upper split is discharged from the machine betweenthe knife a and the gauge roll d.

As shown, adjustment of the head e and gauge d is made by means ofspindles g with a hand wheel i fixed to the upper end of each spindle, amicrometer-screw i (with a scale and an index) serving as a measuringand guiding means during adjustment. At its lower end each spindle g. isprovided with a screw threaded portion fitted into a threaded boring inthe side post I. Above the threading, is a flange r on the spindle. Thisflange r serves as a stop against which the head e abuts in one of theadjusted positions of gauge roll (1.

According to the illustrated construction, a

bushing k is mounted on the shaft of the adjusting spindle g and saidbushing is secured against rotary displacement by means of a pin Z. Thisbushing 70 serves as a guide for a sleeve m surrounding it, and thissleeve can be rotated coaxially with the spindle g by means of ahandle0. The lower frontalsurface of the-sleeve m isshaped to form aright-handed helical cam surface and in rotating it slides on the upperfrontalsimilarly shaped helical camlsurface of-a-counter sleeve 12,which is fixed against rotationrwith respect to the head e andconcentrically to the spindle g. A similar adjusting device has beenprovided at both ends of the head-e, and the hand levers 0 may beconnected to one another by means of a bar s, so that the sleeves m atboth ends of the head e are rotatedithrough thezsame. angle, if eitherone of the hand levers o is actuated. A rotation of the sleeves m in thecounterclockwise direction (viewed from above) increases the total axiallength of the sleeves ;m and n with the result that the bushing k.islifted from the head e untilithe flange; 1; abuts. fixedly. againstthelower face of ,headie (Fig. 2); 'Incase, however, the levers o aremoved back in.a clockwise direction, the space taken. up; by the.sleevesm and nis axially reducedand the head. 6 islifted through acorresponding distance by the action of two powerful springs 50, whichmay be replaced if desired by'levers withcounterweights. As will beappa'rentfrom Fig. 3, a space now opens between the flange 1" andthehead e, the width ofwhich corresponds to. thexlift of the, gauge rolld. This lift is adjusted and set by the, two nutst, t at the upper endof the adjusting spindlesg, as will be hereinafter described... The.lower end of bushing k: may. serve as ajstop, or the rotarysleeve mmaybe the stop since the springs 11 press the head e and thesleeve 11.constantly against sleeve m. Y

In order to adjust the illustrated splitting machine to differentthicknesses of Workpiecesin different batches'of hides, the head -.eisfirst lifted free of the supporting springs p byrotating the two handwheels h. The levers o are then swung in a clockwise direction (Fig.4)as far as possible, that-is, until the. steppediinterruptions in thehelical surfaces of the sleeves m and nabut one against the other.The-next step. is to loosen the lock nut t so that the nut 12' may bebacked 01f a distance corresponding to the space it is desired to havebetwenthev heade and the flange r when the partsare Linthe'positionsshown in Figs. 1 and 3. The operatorv or his'mechanic helper, makingthis-adjustment. will know the pitch of the thread onthe upper end ofthe spindle g and therefore will know how many turnsto give the nut t tosecure the desired spacing between flange r and the head 6.

With the nut backed off the proper distanca 'tion of the upper splitpassing above the cutter a, this adjustment of the head e bythe spindlesgbeing facilitated by proper use of the micrometer screw 2. It will beunderstood that, during' this adjustment of the spindles g, thehead-is"moved downwardly to a' point where pressureis replaced upon the springsp. In other words, the machine will be conditioned with the partssubstantially inthe position shown in Fig. 2, ready for treatment on awork piece, such as an untanned hide.

As soon as the skin haspassed through the machine as far as the thickpart of the neck, the hand lever o is swung in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 4. The space taken up by the sleeves mand n in the axialdirection is thereby reduced and the'head e under action of the springsp is upwardly displaced so that the width of the split b'etweentheknifeaand the gauge roll d increases by a corresponding amount, and thethickness of" the upper split is increased from then on.

As; already: indicated, the illustrated embodiment: is onl'y an example.Therefore modifications, arepossible without departing from the spiritand'scope of the invention defined in the appended; claims. v

Having described. my invention; what'I claim as newand-desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United-States is:

which .the gauge .is movably mounted; said member. being supported'on apartzof' the. machine: having a fixedrelationto; the: tool; and means,,

includinga'cam surface "arranged helically about the axisof said gauge.carrying member, and rotatable; a predetermined distance. alternately inoppositedirections to adjustrthegauge onzsaid'f member successively to..two different positions:

2'.iIn a machine for...operating on a: piece of work,. a tool,1a gaugetolocate awork pieceiandi the tool relatively. to. each other; a imemberon which the. gaugeis movably mounted,;said meme 1 ber beingsupportedonv a partiof the machine; havinga .fixedrelationtothe tool, astop onsaid;

membereto limit movementiofxthea gaugein one;

direction, a cam member t.mounted:for rotation; about'the axisof:.said.member and: arranged .to. move said gauge against said stop,andaa spring] tohold.v the gauge .yieldingly againstsaidcam member,whereby said cam member servesasa topltOliInlt movement of1the gaugemembenin the other. direction.

ber, the .spindlehaving aiiange or rib to limit thexmovement of thegauge member .thereon in onedirection, aspring to urgethe gauge memberaway. from said flange or rib on the spind1e,'a

bushing onv the spindle secured against rotationwith respect thereto,.asleeveon the bushinggalso secured. against rotation and having. a camsurface, and asecond sleeve rotatable on the bush-,

ingand having .a cam surface for: co-operation; with the first-mentionedcamsurfaceto cause '65 sure-of saidspring, into engagement-with.the.

movement of the gauge member,.against .the pres flange on said spindle,and to cause also-anon,

trolled movement of -th'e gauge member, under pressure of said spring;-in a directionaway from 1 said flange on the spindle, whereby saidsecond sleeve may serve as a stop to limit -movement-of the gauge memberin the 'otherdirectiont 4. In a machine for operating on a piece-ofwork; a-tool, a gauge to locate a-Work piece-and:

the toolwi-threspect to eachother. a head-mounted for-adjustment ontheframe of the machine to support the gauge, a member on which the headis slidable, said member being supported by the machine frame and havinga rib or flange to limit movement of the head and gauge in onedirection, a stop to limit movement of the head and gauge in theopposite direction, a spring tending constantly to move the head awayfrom the flange and into' engagement with said stop, and cam meansvassociated with said member to move the head against the pressure ofsaid spring into contact with the rib or flange, whereby the head andthe gauge carried thereby may readily be made to occupy either one oftwo positions through the co-operation of said stop and said flange.

5. In a machine for operating on a piece of work, a t ool, a gauge rollto locate a surface of the work piece with respect to the tool, a headmounted for adjustment on the frame of the machine to support the gaugeroll at predetermined distances with respect to the tool, a member onwhich the head is slidable, said member being supported by the machineframe and having a rib or'flange to limit movement of the head towardthe tool, said member also carrying a stop to limit movement of the headin a direction away from the tool, a spring tending constantly to movethe head away from the tool and into engagement with said stop, and cammeans rotatable on said member to move the head against the action ofsaid Spring into contact with the rib or flange whereby the head and thegauge roll carried thereby may readily be made to occupy either one oftwo positions through the 'co-operation of said stop and said flange.

6. In a machine for cutting hides, skins, and leather, a cutter, a gaugeroll to position one surface of a work piece with relation to thecutter, a head carrying said gauge roll, spindles mounted on the frameof the machine, one at each end of said head and upon which the head isslidable, a stop at each end of the head to limit the movement of thehead and gauge roll toward said cut- I ter, a spring at each end of thehead tending constantly to move the head in a direction away from saidstops, and cam means associated with each spindle to force the headagainst the pressure of the springs and into contact with said stops oralternatively to release the head for movement by said springs to aposition determined by said cam means, whereby the head and the gaugeroll carried thereby may be located alternatively in two positions withrespect to said cutter.

7. In a machine for cutting hides, skins, and leather, a cutter, agaugeroll to position one surface of a work piece with relation to thecutter, a head carrying said gauge roll, spindles adjustably mounted onthe frame of the machine, one at each end of said head to adjust thelatter, each spindle having a flange or rib to limit the movement of thehead toward said cutter, a spring at each end of the head tendingconstantly to lift the head away from said flanges or ribs on thespindles, and cam means on each spindle operative to force the headagainst said flanges or alternatively to release the head for upwardmovement by said springs to a position determined by said cam means,whereby the head and the gauge roll carried thereby may be locatedalternatively in two positions with respect to said cutter, in anarrangement in which these positions may be changed by adjustment ofsaid spindles on the machine frame.

8. In a machine for cutting hides, skins, and leather, a cutter, a gaugeroll to position one surface of a work piece with relation to thecutter, a

head carrying said gauge roll, spindles adjustably mounted on the frameof the machine, one at each end of said head to adjust the latter, eachspindle having a flange or rib to limit the movement of the head towardsaid cutter, a spring at each end of the head tending constantly to liftthe head away from said flanges or ribs on the spindles, and memberseach movable about the axis of its associated spindle to force the headagainst the flanges on the spindles, said members being rotatable in theopposite direction to permit the springs to move the head and gauge rollin an upward direction to a position determined by said members, andsaid spindles being adjustable on the frame of the machine to secure afurther adjustment ofthe head and thergauge roll carried thereby withrespect to the cutter.

9. In a machine for cutting hides, skins, and

leather, a cutter, a gauge roll to position one surface of a work piecewith relation to the cutter, a head carrying said gauge r011, spindlesadjustably mounted on the frame of the machine, one at each end of saidhead to adjust the latter, each spindle having a flange or rib to limitthe movement of the head toward said cutter, a spring at each end of thehead tending constantly to lift the head away from said flanges or ribson the spindles, a sleeve on each spindle, the lower ends of which mayserve as stops to limit the movement of the head away from the cutter,and members, each movable on a sleeve and about the axis of itsassociated spindle, to force the head against the flanges on thespindles, said members being rotatable in the opposite direction topermit the springs to move the head against said stops, whereby thegauge roll may be located alternatively in two positions with respect tosaid cutter, said spindles being adjustable on the frame of the machineto secure a further adjustment of the head and the gauge roll carriedthereby with respect to the cutter.

10. In a machine for cutting hides, skins, and leather, a cutter, agauge roll to position one surface of a'work piece with relation to thecutter, a head carrying said gauge roll, spindles mounted on the frameof the machine, one at each end of said head upon which the head isslidable, each spindle having a flange or rib to limit the movement ofthe head and gauge roll toward said cutttr, a spring at each end of thehead tending constantly to move the head away from said flanges or ribson the spindles, a bushing on each spindle secured against rotation withrespect thereto, a, sleeve on each bushing also secured against rotationand having a cam surface, and a second sleeve rotatable on the bushingand having a cam surface for co-operation with the first-mentioned camsurface to cause adjustment of the head and gauge roll in directionstoward and from the cutter.

11. In a machine for cutting hides, skins, and leather, a belt knifecutter, a gauge roll to position one surface of a work piece withrelation to the cutter, a head carrying said gauge roll, spindles screwthreaded into the frame of the machine, one at each end of said head tosupport the latter, each spindle having a flange or rib to limitmovement of the head toward said cutter, a spring at each end of thehead constantly tending to lift the head away from said flanges or ribson the spindles, a sleeve on each spindle, the lower ends of which mayserve as stops to limit the movement of the head away from the cutter,and cam members movable, one on each sleeve and about the axis of theassoing movable inthe opposite. direction. to permit the springstomoveithe headvagainst said: stops,

whereby theflangesand stops determine the two positions. of-. theigaugeroll. withrespect to the cutter, said: spindles. being adjustable onthe.

frame oft-he machine tosecure a further adjustment of: the head, and thegauge roll carried thereby, with" respect to the cutter.

12. Ina machine for operating onapiece of work, a tool, a gauge'tolocate a workpiece and the toolrelatively to each other, a-member onwhich: thegauge ismovably mounted, said member being supported On a-part of the machine having a fixed relation to the tool, a stop on saidmember to=1imitmovement of the gauge in-one direction-,;a: cam surface"arranged: helically about the: axis; of; said memberrand l operative to:move said' gauge against said'stop, and a spring'to holdtheg-a-uge-yieldingIy against said cam surface, wherebywsaidxcam surfaceserves as a stop to liinitmovement of the gauge memberrin the otherdirection. I

13'. In a; machine for operating on a piece of work, a'tool, a gauge tolocate a work piece and the tool relatively to each other, a, member on-

